Self Help Graphics is a community art center in East Los Angeles whose mission is to empower the Chicano community by instilling pride in their culture through the visual arts. Its programs have instructed youth, enabled like-minded artists to exchange ideas and artistically express political views, and elevated appreciation of Chicano art…

Discusses the use of a tiered evaluation system (TES) that allows students to work at different levels, enables teachers to assess progress objectively, and presents students with appropriate challenges in the music ensembles. Focuses on how TES works and its advantages, considers the challenges and flexibility of TES, and provides samples. (CMK)

The resilience that individuals who have learning disabilities can demonstrate is highlighted through a case study. Examples from a student's description of his school history illuminate resilience themes. The article culminates in a list of things teachers can do to instill resilience in their students. (Author/CR)

Presents strategies for interviewing and assisting highly avoidant children who may be victims of maltreatment. Discusses factors inhibiting their self-disclosure, the importance of managing child safety, and establishing and maintaining rapport. Describes strategies including pacing the interview, empowering the child, and using distancing…

Cultural differences can be barriers for African American students. General educators often turn to special educators for assistance, placing students in at-risk positions that magnify denigrating stereotypes. Many African American students are misidentified, misassessed, and misinstructed. Discusses factors underlying the education of African…

Investigates the effects of four structural characteristics of instruction on student learning: (1) authenticity; (2) challenge; (3) demand for skills; and (4) allowance for student autonomy. Shows that high quality learning experiences are authentic, allow choice, and demand student skills. States that a boring and alienated experience results…

Self-determination is an important component of transition services and prompting this outcome requires that educators use assessment both to design instruction and provide information about instructional effectiveness. This article introduces self-determination as a critical transition outcome, examines assessment issues, and overviews practices,…

Explores ways to maximize camp-staff potential and effort through wages; working conditions; promoting passion and enthusiasm; perks and benefits; special staff events; tokens of praise, support, and appreciation; staff mission statements; profit sharing; empowerment; use of a morale officer; and staff ownership of the camp's "vision." (SAS)

An empowerment model of counseling is applied to counselor education programs, describing how the critical components of empowerment as a construct can be infused into the counselor education curriculum. Proposes a general model of counselor education such that social transformation at individual, programmatic, and societal levels is facilitated.…

Examines contemporary conditions of English in 3 British secondary schools. Considers (1) what English teachers say about their aims; (2) how these aims are translated into classroom practices; and (3) what external agencies want the subject of English to produce. Concludes teachers "delivered" the cultural products of Standard English…

Responds to the article entitled, "The REFLECT Approach to Literacy: Some Issues of Method," by Caroline Dyer and Archana Choksi. Contends that certain key principles were overlooked in their three-month experiment on REFLECT: (1) local ownership and control; (2) an internal community process; and (3) an integration of literacy and empowerment.…

At Pajaro (California) Unified School District, it is no longer acceptable merely to demonstrate skill. Teachers must also identify the effects they have on students. Pajaro's assessment system is anchored in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession and requires self-assessment. (MLH)

Reports on a psychoeducational workshop, a structured procedure for making socially responsible choices. Goal of the workshop is to reduce criminal recidivism by broadening the participants' ethical views and teaching them new skills for coping more effectively with life's everyday problems. Suggests guidelines for implementing group. (Author/JDM)

This article describes the types of preference assessment procedures that have been used with individuals with profound multiple disabilities (PMD). It provides a rationale for conducting preference assessment to assist in curriculum development and describes a process for conducting preference assessments and targeting social, affective, and…

Analyzes a ten-year study of Jefferson State Community College (Alabama) faculty senate and governing council. Concludes that shared governance is often an activity in which faculty respond to administrative actions. Argues that true shared governance aids the decision-making process, contributing to overall institutional success. (Contains 10…